​You’ve likely heard the saying, “It has to get worse before it can get better”.

This saying rings true during the church season of Lent of which we now are in. 

Lent is traditionally a time of repentance, recognizing and turning from our sins, remembering and reflecting on the passion of our Lord, and searching within ourselves for a renewed faith and trust in Jesus Christ. Lent is often a somber, reflective, and perhaps even a depressing time for us as we journey together through it. Strangely, that is the purpose of Lent. Lent calls us to realize that as it happened for Jesus, it must happen for us – that life will often get worse before it can get better. Lent and Holy Week are opportunities for you to walk those last weeks, days, and hours with Christ and to experience again the pain and suffering He endured as he was led up that mountain to the cross.

But Lent is also a time of hope. As Christians, we have hope because we know the end of the story. We know that the original Lenten journey did not end at the cross. We know that the journey of faith never ends! Our journey of faith only continues on into life everlasting with our loving Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Embracing that promise, I challenge you this Lenten season to fully participate in the worship opportunities that are planned and in place for you to fulfill these strange intentions of the season. Opportunities that will allow you to repent, reflect, give thanks, be healed, be renewed, and be strengthened in faith. Our Wednesday midweek worship services are planned and in place not to replace your Sunday morning worship but to complement it. As you worship on Sundays and Wednesdays throughout Lent, the suffering, pain, distress, and betrayal that Christ experienced will be felt again by us as we, together, gather to reflect on the emotions, thoughts, reflections, and insights that we might be having in the midst of our own wilderness journey. See the Lenten schedule below for more details regarding those midweek services.

By fully participating in Lent and Holy Week worship services you will appreciate and experience more the Resurrection of Jesus on Easter Sunday Morning as we celebrate the Hope in all of its fullness!

So together, as we journey through Lent, we trust that this long, dark, and sometimes difficult walk will indeed get better – and that is our Lenten Hope!

See you in Church! (and bring a friend!)

​Pastor Dale

​Just wondering, Jesus.....

Do you have questions for Jesus? Bartimaeus had an important one. And surely you do, too. Read the story of Blind Bartimaeus from Mark's gospel.

"They spent some time in Jericho. As Jesus was leaving town, trailed by his disciples and a parade of people, a blind beggar by the name of Bartimaeus, son of Timaeus, was sitting alongside the road. When he heard that Jesus the Nazarene was passing by, he began to cry out, “Son of David, Jesus! Mercy, have mercy on me!” Many tried to hush him up, but he yelled all the louder, “Son of David! Mercy, have mercy on me!” Jesus stopped in his tracks. “Call him over.” They called him. “It’s your lucky day! Get up! He’s calling you to come!” Throwing off his coat, he was on his feet at once and came to Jesus. Jesus said, “What can I do for you?” The blind man said, “Rabbi, I want to see.” “On your way,” said Jesus. “Your faith has saved and healed you.” In that very instant he recovered his sight and followed Jesus down the road." -Mark 10:46-52 (The Message)

Imagine you could experience God, in the form of Jesus, from the same position as Blind Bartimaeus – street level – from the roadside. If you knew Jesus was passing you by on the roadside, would you have the courage to ask Jesus your question? What would you ask? What did Bartimaeus ask of Jesus? What was his request? Do you think it was difficult for him to ask this? Was he afraid, embarrassed, or ashamed? How did he know to ask Jesus this important question? Do you think it is okay to ask difficult questions of Jesus? What do you think Jesus thinks when we ask our questions? Does he welcome them? You see? Lots of questions! And that's okay!

This Lenten season we are going to be considering some very important questions that people of faith have long been asking Jesus. It’s okay to ask questions. However, questions of faith often don’t have concrete or easy answers. Are you okay with not getting definite answers to your questions?
Some say questioning or doubt is a sign of a weak faith. I would argue that asking questions and expressing doubt occasionally are actually signs of growing in one’s faith. How can this be? Did Jesus ever ask questions? What questions did Jesus ask? What question do you think Jesus would have liked to have asked? Yes, Jesus asked lots of questions, too. He's not unlike us in that way.

If you haven't already, please fill out the Lenten question cards that you can find in the narthex. On them, ask your important question of Jesus. Place your questions in the basket on the table in the narthex and I will do my best to address them in my sermons throughout this Lenten season.

Lent begins this Ash Wednesday. I hope you can be present in worship that night at 7:00 p.m. as we receive communion and the imposition of ashes upon our forehead. The ashes remind us of our mortality while communion reminds us always that death doe not have the final say. Jesus died so that our mortal souls can live forever. It's a glorious gift from God. Find out more about our Lenten theme and season.

See you in Church! (and bring a friend!)

Pr. Dale

Dear Friends,

​​Super Bowl Sunday is upon us. I'm sure it will be another thrilling match-up. All will have prepared well, sparing no expense in terms of time and effort. The stakes are high; the competition is fierce; and the whole world will be watching…. And, no, I’m not talking about the game itself, but rather the Super Bowl commercials!

I have to admit, I enjoy watching Super Bowl commercials. We all have our favorites or most memorable ones from over the years. But among them all, for me, none have really equaled the uplifting quality of a 2014 Duracell Battery commercial that featured Derrick Coleman of the Seattle Seahawks. Do you remember that one? In only sixty seconds it tells the story of how at a young age, Derrick lost his hearing, was bullied as a result, was picked last for teams, was harassed by coaches, and was not even drafted by the NFL. And then comes the signature line, when Coleman says, “Everybody told me to quit. They told me it was over. But I’d been deaf since I was three, so I didn’t listen.” The last scene is of Coleman entering the Super Bowl arena and saying, “And now I’m here, with a lot of fans cheering me on, and I can hear them all.” (Followed, naturally, by the tagline across the screen: Duracell: Trust Your Power.) You can watch the commercial in the attached video below.

The commercial is so wonderful because it creates a sense of possibility, potential, empowerment, and freedom. Derrick’s story of living into the person he felt he was meant to be, against great odds to boot, inspires us because we hope that’s our story, too.

As much as I love that commercial, I’d like to think we might get that feeling in places other than Duracell commercials. At home from supportive parents or spouse. At work from good colleagues. On the athletic field from coaches and teammates. At school from caring teachers and friends. And obviously, at church from fellow brothers and sisters in Christ.

My ongoing prayer (and dream) for our church is that it too, provides a place of possibility, potential, empowerment, and freedom, where each of us can safely live into the person we feel we are created to be. This takes each of us to make happen. Are you contributing to creating such space for others in your words and actions? Are you benefiting from such space as a result of other's words and actions? The old football cliché is that "it takes teamwork to make the dream work." You're on the team. Contribute to the dream. While Duracell might tell us to "trust our power", I remind you to "trust God's power."

Many of us have heard of Vince Lombardi, the legendary football coach of the Green Bay Packers. He’s the coach the Super Bowl Trophy was named after - The Lombardi Trophy. Lombardi was known to do one thing before every football game. He would take a football in his hand, hold it up before all the players and pronounce, “Men, this is a football.” His goal each and every game was to remind his players of their purpose, stating "The game requires, and starts with a football."

As you prepare to the watch the big game (and commercials) this Sunday, be reminded of your purpose - that requires, and starts with Your Church - your Community of Faith.

See you in Church! (and bring a friend!)

Pr. Dale